This invention relates to an athletic shoe suitable for exercising or practicing for sporting events. More particularly, the invention relates to shoes that are weighted for exercising and training purposes.
Weighted athletic shoes have been available for more than 30 years. In general, they have been used by persons who practice for participation in sporting events such as marathon running or other events requiring prolonged stamina and endurance qualities. The weighted shoes are thought to increase leg strength as well enhancing a cardiovascular workout during a running session.
The types of weight athletic shoes available have all used weights, either attached strapped to the ankles around the shoe or otherwise attached or sewn on the external surface of the shoe. Examples of this approach to weighted athletic shoes are to be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,432 to Frank Stempski, 4,777,743 to August E. Roehrig, 3,114,982 to Maurice R. McGowan, and 3,406,968 to G. Mason.
The above are merely a few of the any variations found in a search of the literature and in a review of sporting equipment stores. An important aspect lacking in all the found shoe variation is that of style. All the shoes look weighted of `strange` looking, and to many this is a deterrent to their use. Furthermore, according to athletes of the inventor's acquaintance, the most desirable place for a shoe weight is at the bottom of the shoe. This is most difficult to achieve with the various available add-on external weights, while still preserving flexibility of the shoe sole.
In the present invention, a weight is distributed over the entire bottom of the athletic shoe, but inside the shoe. The weight comprises a large number of small metal spheres of less than 1 mm diameter, arranged in a matrix which is sandwiched between the inner and outer sole of the shoe. From the outside, the shoe appears to be a stylish athletic shoe. The bottom of the shoe is flexible and comfortable because of the method of integrating the weight.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integrally weight athletic shoe which has a weight distributed over the entire bottom of the shoe, while preserving flexibility of the shoe sole.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a weighted athletic shoe that can look stylish as desired by the wearer, and not appear to be weighted.
An advantage is that there is no danger of a weight accidentally falling off or shifting on the shoe during exercise, as may occur with conventional externally weighted shoes.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent rom a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims and the attache drawings.